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Taxslayer Bowl, Georgia Tech vs Kentucky: Preview and predictions

By John Buhler

Nov 26, 2016; Louisville, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats running back Stanley Williams (18) runs the ball against the Louisville Cardinals during the first quarter at Papa John
Nov 26, 2016; Louisville, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats running back Stanley Williams (18) runs the ball against the Louisville Cardinals during the first quarter at Papa John /
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The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will play the Kentucky Wildcats in the TaxSlayer Bowl. Here is a game preview, the betting odds, and a final score pick.

There are two non-College Football Playoff Games on the slate for New Year’s Eve, Saturday, Dec. 31. One of those games will be the TaxSlayer Bowl between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-4) and the Kentucky Wildcats (7-5). Kickoff from EverBank Field in Jacksonville on New Year’s Eve will be at 11:00 a.m. ET. ESPN will have the telecast.

Georgia Tech gets back to a bowl in 2016 at 8-4 after a dismal 2015 NCAA campaign that saw the Yellow Jackets finish 3-9. Paul Johnson’s teams have been perennial staples in bowl games for much of the last decade. The Yellow Jackets are definitely playing their best ball at the end of the year.

For Kentucky, this is the first bowl games since the 2010 NCAA season. Kentucky finished 7-5, including an upset win over in-state rival Louisville. Mark Stoops final got his Kentucky program to a bowl and it has gotten him off the hot seat in Lexington.

Odds

Point Spread: Georgia Tech -3.5
Moneylines: Georgia Tech -165, Kentucky +145
Over/Under: 62

According to OddsShark.com, Georgia Tech will be laying 3.5 points at neutral site Jacksonville to Kentucky in the TaxSlayer Bowl. The associated moneylines for this game are Georgia Tech -165 and Kentucky +145. This game’s over/under comes in at a combined 62 points.

Here are the trends to know with Georgia Tech: 1.) Georgia Tech is 5-2 against the spread in its last seven games. 2.) The Yellow Jackets are 5-1 straight up in their last six games. 3.) The point total has gone over in six of Georgia Tech’s last eight games.

Here are the trends to know with Kentucky: 1.) Kentucky is 7-2 against the spread in their last nine games. 2.) The Wildcats are 5-2 straight up in their last seven games. 3.) The point total has gone over in four of Kentucky’s last six games.

Expect this one to come down to the final possession. Both teams love to pound the rock. It won’t be a visually appealing game, but it should still be high-scoring with Georgia Tech’s triple-option and Kentucky’s grinding ground game.

Like many bowls, this one will be decided by which team really wants to be there. Jacksonville isn’t a trip either school makes annually, but it’s not like either school doesn’t play in Florida all that often.

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Take Kentucky getting points to upset the Jackets. Kentucky rarely makes bowl games and this one matters more to Big Blue Nation than the Ramblin’ Wreck.

Pick: Kentucky 34, Georgia Tech 31

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